Antiretroviral therapy and risky sexual behaviours; a cohort study in an HIV treatment and care programme in rural Rakai, Uganda

Background:
Risky sexual behaviours have been shown to increase among HIV positive people. Little is still known about the risky sexual behaviours of ART naive as there is more focus on patients already enrolled on ART. This study explores potential behavioral disinhibition among patients enrolled on ART in comparison to patients not yet enrolled on ART and assesses the impact of ART on risky sexual behaviour among people on ART.

Background:
Risky sexual behaviours have been shown to increase among HIV positive people. Little is still known about the risky sexual behaviours of ART naive as there is more focus on patients already enrolled on ART. This study explores potential behavioral disinhibition among patients enrolled on ART in comparison to patients not yet enrolled on ART and assesses the impact of ART on risky sexual behaviour among people on ART.

Methods;
The data used was extracted from a cohort study from rural Rakai, Uganda with HIV infected participants aged 18-50 years. Analysis was done using statistical software IBM SPSS Statistics 21 and both cross sectional and longitudinal study designs were used. Cross tabulations, sample tests and regression models were used to investigate associations between different variables.

Results;
Both ART naïve and ART experienced participants were similar in terms of social demographics, however risky sexual behaviours were significantly different in both ART groups. At baseline, ART naïve patients were twice more likely to use condoms inconsistently (OR=2.67, 95% CI 1.90-3.74), more likely to use Alcohol at last sex (OR=1.92 95% CI 1.40-2.63) than ART experienced participants. Among participants on ART, the proportion of inconsistent condom users increased from a baseline value of 0.68 to 0.78 at follow up (χ2=6.24, P = 0.012) whereas for alcohol use before sex and multiple sexual partners, the proportion slightly increased by 2 % at follow-up.

Conclusion
ART naïve participants were more likely to engage is risky sexual behaviours than ART experienced. The results of this study show continued risk of onward HIV transmission and therefore, give clues to programs to develop secondary prevention interventions among people living with HIV. (Less)

@misc{8896098,
abstract = {Background:
Risky sexual behaviours have been shown to increase among HIV positive people. Little is still known about the risky sexual behaviours of ART naive as there is more focus on patients already enrolled on ART. This study explores potential behavioral disinhibition among patients enrolled on ART in comparison to patients not yet enrolled on ART and assesses the impact of ART on risky sexual behaviour among people on ART.
Methods;
The data used was extracted from a cohort study from rural Rakai, Uganda with HIV infected participants aged 18-50 years. Analysis was done using statistical software IBM SPSS Statistics 21 and both cross sectional and longitudinal study designs were used. Cross tabulations, sample tests and regression models were used to investigate associations between different variables.
Results;
Both ART naïve and ART experienced participants were similar in terms of social demographics, however risky sexual behaviours were significantly different in both ART groups. At baseline, ART naïve patients were twice more likely to use condoms inconsistently (OR=2.67, 95% CI 1.90-3.74), more likely to use Alcohol at last sex (OR=1.92 95% CI 1.40-2.63) than ART experienced participants. Among participants on ART, the proportion of inconsistent condom users increased from a baseline value of 0.68 to 0.78 at follow up (χ2=6.24, P = 0.012) whereas for alcohol use before sex and multiple sexual partners, the proportion slightly increased by 2 % at follow-up.
Conclusion
ART naïve participants were more likely to engage is risky sexual behaviours than ART experienced. The results of this study show continued risk of onward HIV transmission and therefore, give clues to programs to develop secondary prevention interventions among people living with HIV.},
author = {Nakiganda, Lydia Jacenta},
keyword = {ART naive,ART experienced,HIV,sexual behaviour,condom use,alcohol use,Uganda},
language = {eng},
note = {Student Paper},
title = {Antiretroviral therapy and risky sexual behaviours; a cohort study in an HIV treatment and care programme in rural Rakai, Uganda},
year = {2016},
}